Ian Malcolm returns as Jeff Goldblum joins the cast of Jurassic World 2

There’s some exciting Jurassic Park franchise news breaking today as The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Jeff Goldblum is set to return for next summer’s still untitled Jurassic World sequel! He joins a cast that currently includes returning stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard alongside Toby Jones, Daniella Pineda, Justice Smith and Rafe Spall. Frank Marshall and Steven Spielberg are returning to produce the film, which has JA Bayona (When a Monster Calls, The Impossible) in the director’s chair.

Trevorrow previously revealed the quote from the original Jurassic Park that inspired their idea for the sequel, which comes from Sam Neil’s Alan Grant: “Dinosaurs and man, two species separated by 65 million years of evolution have just been suddenly thrown back into the mix together. How can we possibly have the slightest idea what to expect?”

“Every story is different and you need to find the depth of every story and try to express it on the screen,” Bayona recently told CS. “The ‘Jurassic World’ sequel is a more collaborative filmmaker experience, not only with Colin Trevorrow, but also with Steven [Spielberg] and with Frank Marshall. It’s their baby as much as it is mine. It’s about sharing views and working together to bring the story to life. But, at the same time, the way I face telling a story is to find something very personal. I think there will be plenty of myself also in the film.”

Jeff Goldblum previously reprised the Ian Malcolm role for 1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Although eagle eyed viewers can glimpse his photo in Jurassic World, the new film will mark the first full appearance of the character in more than two decades.